Motor-vehicle.



, 1 s. BALDWIN.

I MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1899. RENEWED JAN. 27, 1911.

992,472. Patented May 16, 1911.

i To all whom it may concern:

v UNITED srAc i rENT OFFICE.

"HENRY S. BALDWIN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A SSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE COLUMBIA MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

, Moron-VEHICLE specification ot' Letters E'atent. Patented hlay 16, 1911. I

' Application filed June 22,1809, Serial No. 721,504. Renewed January 27, 1911. Serial No. 605,073.

Be it known that I, Hnxuv S-QBALDWIX, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehic es, of which the following is a specification, refercnce being had to the accompanying drawing; forming a part hereof.

TlllS lllVGllllOll relates particularly to the driving trucks of motor vehicles, that IS to say, those ortions of the running gears of motor vehicles which include or embody the driving mechanism and support the driving wheels.

The invention is particularly concerned I with the means for supporting the driving mechanism including also the spring system in its relation to the support of the driving mechanism, and with the brake in its relation to the other parts of the driving truck. a v w The object in view --in this portion of the invention which is first referred to is to hold the -motor shaft or driving pinions while atl'ording a proper support during opand simplify construction.

cralion, and the object in view in the last mentioned part oii the invention is likewise to provide for the support of the brake so as to diminish the shock when the brake is first.

applied and also'to facilitate manufacture The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanvmg drawing. in which, for purposes of explanation. it is illustrated as embodied in a con uicnt andpractical structure.

In the drawing Figurc 1 is a plan view of a driving truck which embodies the iuveir tion. the side pring being. partly broken out to shohv parts beneath and the brake drum. bra l aband and driving gear on one of the wheels being shown in sect on, while the driving gear alone on the other wheel is shown in section with the brakelband in plan view. Fig, 2 is a front elevation of. the same with one of the driving Whcels and its 1 brake drum and driving gear removed,the vehicle body being -indicated. 'Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of some of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the vehicle wheels omitted and one of the driving gears partly shown in section.

In. the structure chosen for illustration in the drawing the -body A of the vehicle has secured thereto thetransverse springsB to the free ends of whiclr'ar nnected in usual manner the side springs 13'. he axle- C, in this instance a fixed or nonrcvorubr axle. is secured to the side springs B IK has the driving wheels D of the vehilemounted to rotate thereon. the springs B and B and the axle constituting a truck 70 'or truck frame for the driving wheels and for supporting the motor and driving mechanism. as will appear hereinafter. The driven gears E mav be secured directly to the respective driving wheels and are conveniently formed as gear rims on a gear plate E. For the proper action of the brake it is desirable that the brake-drum should he concentric with the wheel or other part to which it is applied and to attain this result in a convenient manner it may be formed as a rim FF integral with the gear plate 1 and the gear or gear rim E and in same plane with said rim. This construction insures the concentricity of the brake drum and the gear and permits these two parts to be secured together and by the same means to the driving wheel of the vehicle so that concentrically mounting one insures concentrieity of the other. V t H The driving mechanism of itself forms no part of the presentinvention; and is suiticiently repre ented for the purposes of this specific tion by the motor G, the driving or motor shaft. G'-'. transmitting mechanismsuch as difi'erential gearing G and the driving pinions H. which mesh with the drivinggears E. one. of which pinions 1s carried by the drivenshaft G. and the other of which pinions is carried )y the motor oo shaft G said driving mechanism being supported by, and, with the exception of thepinions H, inclosed by, a casing or truss vframe I. The latter need not be described 5 herein except to say that'it has its maximum section in its middle'portion while its ends r directly support the shaft'sections G of the driving mechanism in close proximity to the driving pinions H, thus not only inclosing- '10 but rigidly supporting the driving mechanism and possessing the maximum of strength for a given weight of material.

The casing is supported at or near its ends andin order that it may be supported rigl5 idly so that the alinement of the driving mechanism and particularly of the driving pinions H with relation to the driven gears E shall be maintained, while at the same time it may be removed readily when necessary, it is provided near its endswith transverse sockets z with bearing surface of considerable length not only aflordingnmple' resistance against the tendency to twist the torpedo on its axis, which is relatively little,

or the tendency of the torpedo axis to twist out of parallelism to the rear axle, but more particularly to resist the bending or breaking stress due to the weight of the torpedo and its vertical displacement between two supports,

1 namely, the rear axle and suspender bar.

These sockets are preferably made integral with the casing itself, which is desirable for the reason that the casings, to be light, are comparatively thin for the strains due to the i 35 support attachment, and consequently it is desirable that the sockets be of considerable;

length, thereby enabling them to be attached to a considerable extent of casing'surface. Arms K, which are secured rigidly to the '40 axle O, enter these sockets 2', being secured thereto, it may be, by clamping bolts i, and by their long bearing in the sockets serve to hold the casing, and the parts carried by it, absolutely in fixed relation to-the a-X'le C,

thereby maintaining the driving gear pinions H in absolute alinement preventing imperfect meshing or twisting of the pinions with respect to the driven gears E. The meshing of the pinions and gears obviously is not affected by any movement of the easing with its contained driving mechanismabout the axle C as a center and in fact a yielding movement of this character is desirable as preventing shocks uponthe intermeshing gears in starting the vehicle, particularly when an electric motor is employed as apart of the driving mechanismcontained within the casing. The casing may therefore be provided with an additional means of support which will permit such yielding movement, such means comprising an arm 1 secured to the casing and a practically straight transverse sprlng Suspender. bar B upon .which said arm I rests or to which it is eea ira secured, said bar 'B being suspended from the spring bar B 'aboveit by sui'tablelinks spring system of the driving truck.

with a single point (or points) ot' attachment or at the axle, as such would giveexcessive strains attt-hat' point ofattachment to the body, and could not be made satisfactorily to resist the strains in the driving truck of a motor vehicle;.but onthe contrary a transverse bar is connected at its endstothe side springs B and is attached to the body a considerable. distance from the center of twisting due to the torque on the driving bar B and by the attachment of the bar 13 weight, etc. is. further diminished by absorption of part in spring B, giving the least possible final strain at the attachment to the body. In this way spring B alone of the spring system supporting the body'performs *the double function of body spring system and flexible motor suspension.

details of construction and arrangement may be made to suit different conditions of use and that the invention therefore is not re stricted to the particular construction and arrangement shown.

If the brake-band of a vehicle of this description is anchored to a rigid and unyieldf brake is applied suddenly is considerable the present case, the brake-band L, which embraces the brake-drum Efland is operated by any suitable means, as by the lever and link represented at L, is anchored to a rotarily yielding part. In this instance it is shown as anchored, as at Z, to the end of the casing I, which, as already described, is

therefore of the brake-drums as a center, and which practically forms a partof the yielding framework oft-he truck.

to" the vehicle, to resist the twisting, action on wheels, and this torque is practically carried on the torpedo casing is absorbed by the. I

and it is well to avoid it. Accordingly, in

'3), such ba'r'B therebyfo'rming a part of the It will be noticed that reliance not placed upon a full elliptical spring alone,

to the ends of B the rest of any strain It will be obvious that various changes in ing support the shock produced when the i free to yield rotarily to a limited extent about the axis of the driving gears and The mode of operation and advantages of I the several features. of the invention will be scription of the construction and require no further explanation herein.

I claim as my invention v 1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with the driving wheels, driven gears and frame of the driving truck, of a casing inclosing and supporting the driving mechanism and the' driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears, said casing being provided near its ends with transversesockets afi'ording a relatively long bearing surface, and arms entering said sockets and secured to said frame, substantially as shown and deer scribed.

In a motor vehicle, the combination with the driving wheels, driven gears and frame of the driving truck, of a' casing inclosing, and supporting the driving mechanism and the driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears, said casing being formed near its ends with integral transverse sockets affording a relatively long bearing surface.

and arms entering said sockets and secured to said frame, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination 'with the driving wheels, driven gears and frame of the driving truck, of driving mechanism having shaft-ing and driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears, a casing inclosing and supporting the driving mechanism and supporting the shatting in"pro:-:-

. imity to said driving pinions. said casing being provided near its ends and in proximit) to said pinions with transverse sockets attording a relatively long bearing surface.

and arms entering said sockets and secured to said frame, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In ,a motor-vehicle, the combination with the driving wheels. driven gears and spring system of the driving truck. of a casing inclosing and supporting the driving mechanism and supporting the driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears. means to support said casing at its ends, and a bar suspended from said spring system and also supporting said casing, substantially as shown and described.

In a motor vehicle. the combination with the driving wheels. driven gears and a transverse spring. of a casing inclosing and supporting the driving mechanism and supporting the driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears, means to support said casing at its ends, and a suspender bar-suspended from said transverse spring and also supporting said casing, substantiall as shown and described. p

(3.. In a motor vehicle. the combination with the body, driving wheels. driven gears and a t 'ansverse spring secured at its middle to the body, of a casing mclosmg and supporting the driving mechanism and supporting the driving pin driven gears, means to support said casing at its ends, and a Suspender bar supported at its ends from theends of said transverse spring and at its middle supporting said casing, substantially as shown and described.

-7. In a motor vehicle the combination with the driving wheels, driven gears, driving mechanism including a motor, gearing and shafting. of a casing extending from the driven gears on one side to the driven gear on the other side and .inclosing and supporting the motor, gearing and shaftin". and the driving pini'ons in mesh with said driven gears, said easing'having its middle portion of maximum section to acconnnodate the. motor and gearing and its end portions reduced and provided with hearings to support the shafting near its outer ends in prox= imity to said driven gears, and being rigidly supported near its ends, substantialh as shown and described. I

I In a motor vehicle. the cmnbinationx with the driving wheels, and driven gearsgof a casing iuelosing and supporting the driving mechanism and supporting the driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears, means to support said casing at its ends. and a transverse bar suspended above said casing and also supporting the same at its middle portion, substantialtv as shown and described.

'9. in a motor vehicle, the combination with the driving wheels. driven gears and a transverse spring. of a *asinginclmingand supporting the driving mechanism and supporting the driving pinions in mesh with said driven gears, means to support said casingl'rom the axle of the vehicle, and a suspenderbar suspended from said transverse spring and also supporting said casin substantially as shown and described.

10. In a motor vehicle, the combination with driving wheels. an axle thercfor,'and driving mechanism including a driving shaft and ditlcrential gearing", of a casing inclosing said driving mechanism, said casing being supported at two points on the axle and also at a third point on said casing, which point, is central with respect to the first two points of support and relatively distant from said axle, substantially as shown and described.

11. In a motor vehicle. the combination with driving wheels, an axle therefor. and driving mechanism including adriving shaft .and ditt'erential gearing. of a casing inclosing being attached to said casingnear the driving pinions respectively and the third support attached, to said casing at one side of the in mesh with said" III! ' porting the driving pinion in mesh with I middle thereof, substantially as shown and described.

12. In a 1notor-vehicle, the combination with driving wheels, an axle therefor, and driv ng mechanism meludmg a drlvlng'shaft and differential gearing, of a casing inclosing said driving mechanism, -'and driving pinionssecured to either end of said driving shaft, a support for said casing at each end of the same and a third support for said casing at a point on said casing, which point is at one side'of the middle of said casing, substantially as shown and described.

13. In a motor vehicle, the combination with the driving wheel, axle and truckframe, of driving mechanism including a driving shaft and differential. gearing, and

a' casing inclo sing said driving mechanism,

- and described.

said casing being suspended from the truck frame at three points, substantially as shown 14. In a motor-vehicle, the combination With a driving wheel,a driven gear and a transverse. spring, of a casing inclosing and supporting the motor and itsparts and sup- For casing inclosing said mechanism and three supports for said mechanism connected with the motor truck, substantially as shown and described.

16. In a motor vehicle, the combination with running gear including a non-revoluble axle, of.a driving shaft, adriven-shaft and transmitting mechanism interposed bet-ween said driving shaft and driven shaft, a shell or casing inclosing said 'meghani'sm, and supports K, K, I for said-mechanism, said supports being suspended 'from the motor truck, substantially as shown and described.

L7. In a motor vehicle, the combination with-running gear including a non-revoluble axle, of a motor and its shaft, a second shaft and transmission mechanism between the motor shaft and said second shaft, both of said shafts and transmission mechanism being supported by a common casing suspended at three points.

18. In a motor vehicle, the combination with running gear including a non-revoluble axle? and a longitudinal spring attached transversely to said axle, of a driving shaft, a driven shaft projecting laterally beyond the running gear spring, transmitting mechanism. interposed between said driving shaft end of said axle beyond the corresponding side spring, and a gear upon the Wheel, of a casing supporting the motor, shafts and t 'ansmission mechanism, and a. pinion on the end of said second shaft in mesh with said gear.

20. In a motor vehicle, a motor, driving wheels, a driving shaft, diiferentialdriving ,mechanism driven thereby a d supported within a casing, driven connections from said differential mechanism to either end of said casing including shafts, said shafts projecting at the opposite ends of said casing respectively and connections from each driven shaft to a driving wheel, whereby said wheels may be respectively driven at differential speeds, means for support of said casing upon said vehicle. 21. In a motor vehicle, the combinatio with the driving mechanism of a casing extending transversely of said vehicle, yielding supports for said casing at the endsthereof respectively, a differential transmitting mechanism and its shell supported within said casing, dri 'en shafts extending from said differential transmitting mechanism through either end of said casing, connections at the outer end of said driven shafts exterior to said casing for driving wheels on either side of said vehicle, a source of power on said vehicle and a driving shaft extending to said transmitting differential mechamsm.

22. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a casing, two longitudinal. spring members connected to the vehicle body, connections be tween the ends of the casing and said members whereby the casingjs yieldingly supported with respect to the body, difierential driving mechanism supported in said casing, shaft sections connected with said mecha nism and also supported in saidcasing and projecting beyond the ends thereof respectively, and connections from each of said shaft sections to the driving wheels, whereby said wheels may be driven respectively at different speeds. I

23. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a casing having a relatively large middle portion and reduced ends, two longitudinal spring members connected to the vehicle body, connections between the ends of the asing and said members whereby thecasing is yieldingly supported With respect to the body, difierent ial driving mechanism supported in said casing, shaft sections con- This specification signed and witnessed nected with said mechanism and also supthis twelfth day of June, A. D. 1899. ported in said casing and projecting beyond HENRY S BALDWIX the ends thereof respectively, and connec- 5 tions from each of said shaft sections to the In the presence of driving wheels, whereby said wheels may be HERMANN F. CUNTZ, driven respectively at different speeds. MAUI) L. CLARK. 

